It is well known to employ pipe clamps to secure elongate articles such as pipes, conduits and the like to structural channels. Structural channels are generally U-shaped members having upper ends including inwardly turned flanges which support thereacross pipes or other elongate articles. A pipe clamp, which is typically a two piece member, is positioned over the pipe and secured to the channel around the pipe to support the pipe to the structural member. A fastener such as a threaded bolt secures the two pieces together. Typically, pipe clamps of this type include a pair of straps which are identical. Each strap includes an attachment portion which includes hook-like feet which engage the inwardly turned flanges of the U-shaped channel, an intermediate portion for wrapping around the pipe and a connection portion extending outwardly therefrom. The connection portion extends upwardly beyond the pipe and includes an aligned apertures therethrough. The apertures accommodate a fastening member such as a threaded bolt which may be threadingly secured to tighten the straps around the pipe thereby securing the pipe to the structural channel.
One example of a pipe clamp of this type is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,547,385. As may be appreciated, the pipe clamp must support the pipe to the structural channel in a fashion where a load placed on the pipe will not dislodge the pipe from the structural channel.
In these types of pipe clamps, the threaded fastener serves to compress the connection ends together to force the pipe downward onto the structural channel. While this serves adequately to secure the pipe to the channel, no inward compressive force is placed on the pipe. As the connection ends above the pipes are compressed together, attachment of the pipe to the structural channel is based solely on a clamping force between the connection ends at the upper end of the pipe and the hook-like feet attached to the structural channel.
Moreover, in certain situations, a single structural channel may support a plurality of pipes in side-by-side fashion. An individual pipe clamp is used to secure each of the pipes to the structural channel. However, when the pipes are arranged in such close side-by-side fashion, it becomes difficult to access the bolt extending through the connection ends of the straps to tighten the pipe clamp. Positioning of one clamp immediately next to another clamp hinders access to the bolt making installation difficult.
In order to permit access to the bolt which tightens the straps together, the art has seen an improvement in conventional pipe clamps used in side-by-side arrangement. U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,757,965 and 5,163,644, each show pipe clamps having connection ends extending beyond the bolt. The connection ends are bent or twisted so as to be aligned at an angle with respect to the extending pipe. Additionally, U.S. Pat. No. 5,141,186 discloses a pipe clamp including straps of unequal length so that the extending connection ends are located to one side and angled to the pipe extending across the channel.
In each of the above-referenced examples, the clamp design allows for closer positioning of adjacent pipes on a structural channel. However, each of the above examples relies on compressing the connection ends together above the pipe to secure the pipe to the channel.
Furthermore, the design shown in the '965 and '644 patents requires the connection ends to be bent or twisted with respect to the extending pipe. Such bending or twisting may have tendency to reduce the strength of the pipe clamp.
In the design shown in the '186 patent, the unequal length pipe straps results in stresses being unequally applied to each of the individual strap to the clamp. This may result in the pipe being unable to support excessive loads.
It is therefore desirable to provide an improved pipe clamp which quickly and securely supports a pipe to a channel and which may be easily accessed where the pipes are arranged in close proximity.